McDonald’s Picks Up LTO Pace in Australia

McDonald’s is keeping the competitive pressure on Australian rival Hungry Jack’s (Burger King) by introducing a multi-item Aussie Range (menu) barely six weeks after its Nov. 13 unveiling of a Summer Range that included a Smokey BBQ Bandit burger, Scorcher Peri Peri Chicken sandwich and more.

TV advertising uses its Macca’s nickname.

Following the QSR trend to bring back past LTO hits to improve the odds of success, McDonald’s Aussie Range brings back local favorite the McOz, a beef burger with a slice of beetroot, lettuce, tomato and cheese. Also on the menu is an Aussie BBQ Lamb Burger that differs slightly from the Serious Lamb Burger added in August. This version has aïoli and smoky BBQ sauce on a “damper roll,” an Australian ciabatta-like roll with olive oil. Barbecue sauce also shows up on the menu’s Aussie Brekkie roll, which has two sausage patties and bacon but no egg. A Fish & Fries entrée with fish planks completes the menu.

In addition to repeated use of “Aussie” to stress the menu’s local flavors, some TV commercials for the new lineup close simply with “Macca’s,” the Australian nickname for the chain, rather than the usual “I’m lovin’ it” tag. The voiceover for one commercial announces “There’s only one place on Earth where you can get Macca’s.”